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Anti-Trump Republicans seek to recruit third-party candidate

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" One outcome, though rare, may be that no candidate crosses the necessary threshold of 270 votes in the U.S. Electoral College. In that case, the vote for the next president would pass to the U.S. House of Representatives, currently controlled by Republicans."

That's likely the plan. The question now is who will be the useful idiot?

-3 ( +2 / -5 )

Some Republicans say they worry that any third-party candidate would only siphon votes away from Trump and help Clinton win the election.

That's likely the plan. Many Republicans would rather see Clinton in the White House than Trump - they just can't come out and say it.

11 ( +11 / -0 )

For whatever reason I still think Trump may well pull the plug. Imo he has already won and shut up the naysayers. What would happen to Trump the businessman if Trump moves to the white house?

4 ( +4 / -0 )

He won the nomination fairly. Now the party is trying to change the rules. How undemocratic. No matter what you think of him, he has won the popular vote in the primaries. Let the chips fall where they be. If he wins the presidency it is the voice of the American people. Is he evil and worse than Clinton? Voters can decide.

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

i just don't see this ending well for the GOP. trump has so fractured the party that putting back humpty dumpty would seem an easier task at this point. he has so fractured the party and alienated such a large swath that the only solution would be to create a third party for the 2020 election.

6 ( +6 / -0 )

“What’s going to happen is Hillary Clinton is going to win big. It won’t be close.”

Well, what can I say, other than I agree with this Republican strategist.

7 ( +7 / -0 )

Political insiders will do anything to get their way - what happened to real democracy?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

He won the nomination fairly. Now the party is trying to change the rules. How undemocratic. No matter what you think of him, he has won the popular vote in the primaries. Let the chips fall where they be. If he wins the presidency it is the voice of the American people. Is he evil and worse than Clinton? Voters can decide.

I agree, but there are many people that want to drive the notion that the people are idiots or that Trump is a disaster, as you said, let the voters decide. I have to give the man credit, for a man that is not a politician and new to politics, completely destroyed every candidate and turned the GOP with all their money and power on its head. I've never seen anything like it in all my 30 years of covering politics.

i just don't see this ending well for the GOP. trump has so fractured the party that putting back humpty dumpty would seem an easier task at this point.

No, the GOP fractured themselves by not submitting to the people and their constituents. Since taking over the House and Senate, they didn't do anything but talk from the side of their mouths.

he has so fractured the party and alienated such a large swath that the only solution would be to create a third party for the 2020 election.

That might happen regardless.

What would happen to Trump the businessman if Trump moves to the White House?

Put aside until he leaves office after his 1st or 2nd term.

-7 ( +1 / -8 )

If the Republicans could put another viable candidate on the table besides Trump running as a third-party alternative who might be able to pick up a lot of the Sander's supporters and deny Hillary of getting the 270 votes she needs in the U.S. Electoral College and, thereby, passing the whole election process on to the Republican controlled House of Representatives to determine, well, that could be a brilliant strategy . . . if, by chance, it does happen to work out that way.

Would Bloomberg run? Probably not. How about somebody more moderate and younger than Trump? Maybe somebody who could appeal to the Feel the Bern & anti-Hillary crowd out there? Afterall, the Democrats do have a similar problem, albeit a less noticeable problem, with the Republicans in that regard.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

This is going to be quite a show.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

I do not think Trump is the problem. The Republican party for about 20 years has been going ever farther to the right. The party is no longer conservative, it is reactionary.

Then you have self described conservatives who listen to Talk Radio who believe anything they do not like is socialist. Most of them are just angry.

The problem in the Republican party is the fact that most of the candidates are nuts and many of the people who vote for them are too.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

I would assume many of these Republicans will get voted out at election time since Trump could win as an Independent or Republican. These political schemes did not work for Ted Cruz, but old habits die hard and I wish them luck.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Hahaha.

Hehehehe....

Go Trump! His fine task of destroying the GOP and simultaneously putting a Democrat back in the Whitehouse is almost complete.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Bit of news on the Trump VP search. I'd guessed that the only ones to snatch at the bait would be those whose political careers have no future (Christie) or are already ended (Rick Perry). The latter just bit.

Let's think about what Perry had to say about Trump a few months ago:

Let no one be mistaken – Donald Trump’s candidacy is a cancer on conservatism, and it must be clearly diagnosed, excised and discarded.

But times change. Now he's all

I will be open to any way I can help. I’m not going to say no.

He could balance the ticket, being from Texas and wearing "intellectual" glasses and all. He wouldn't know what to do if he ever got there, of course - but that makes them all the better pair. Look here for some rather heavy bashing from the right-wing media.

http://www.redstate.com/jaycaruso/2016/05/05/perry-supports-trump-open-to-be-his-vp/

2 ( +2 / -0 )

And there we have the truth, nicely summed up in the final paragraph by a Republican strategist to boot.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

I've never seen anything like it in all my 30 years of covering politics.

I agree. In all my years reading your in depth coverage in the Washington Post, I never dreamed that the GOP was as screwed up as my most negative instincts suspected it was. Right on, brother.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

I agree. In all my years reading your in depth coverage in the Washington Post, I never dreamed that the GOP was as screwed up as my most negative instincts suspected it was. Right on, brother

Yes and hopefully Trump can rectify this mess and get people back to work and wake the people up that self-reliance and government dependency will only lead to more misery and despair.

-7 ( +0 / -7 )

"I've never seen anything like it in all my 30 years of covering politics."

Come on, this is beyond, or maybe even below, politics now. This is a comedy drama. Trump has dragged this down to the level of TV entertainment long ago. Remember the knob jokes?

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Come on, this is beyond, or maybe even below, politics now. This is a comedy drama. Trump has dragged this down to the level of TV entertainment long ago. Remember the knob jokes?

The Benny Hill comedy hour started 7 years ago, slightly amusing, but mostly embarrassing and painful, only 6 months left and once he leaves, I hope a large portion of Hollywood follows him.

-7 ( +0 / -7 )

"Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton"

After Sanders wins California and the rest of the prinary contests, Hillary may not be able to count on all those Super Delegates, lol

“What’s going to happen is Hillary Clinton is going to win big. It won’t be close.”

Assuming the Democrats are dumb enough to give her the nomination, she's going to have to convince all the Americans fed up wih establishment politics to vote for her in all the swing states...

-4 ( +0 / -4 )

The GOP should consider recruiting Bernie Sanders as a 3rd party alternative. Up until about a year or so ago he wasn't even a democrat. He could easily morph again into a republican-like politician. . .

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

Ah Maggie old boy, morphing is something you'd know about after all. Fear not, the Final Leap day shall soon be upon us.

Jimizio,

Well I prefer all the penis jokes to all that God and abortion crap Republicans usually mutter about. Trump is pro-abortion and his God appears in the mirror everytime he looks...

Frankly I'm going to enjoy watching the Donald's attempts at becoming a moderate now they cannot deny him the nomination. Surely that must be the plan, there isn't enough angry white men or even deranged meth-heads living in their parents basements to give him the votes to defeat Clinton...

1 ( +3 / -2 )

@Texas

Sanders has never morphed, he's been saying the same, pretty much spot-on stuff for decades.

And universal healthcare and free college tuition and establishment Republicans or even establishment Democrats? Har!

3 ( +3 / -0 )

"Republican groups underscore the unusual divisiveness of Trump’s candidacy" . . . "Many of Trump’s critics also find his rhetoric offensive, including his call to temporarily bar Muslims from entering the country and his comment describing Mexican immigrants to the United States as rapists and drug dealers" - article

Trump supporters have defined Trump.

The Holocaust Denier, David Duke stated a vote for anyone except Trump betrayed white supremacy. Trump, three times on live television, refused to condemn Duke.

Republicans are flawed, as history has shown when George W. Bush used forged documents to invade Iraq, but decent Americans cannot forget Trump's endorsement from the Grand Wizard of the KKK and Holocaust Denier David Duke.

The Trump camp is trying a Romney 'etch-a-sketch' as they claim Trump's racism is the good kind.

Thousands of Trump sound bites have shown a contempt for Americans of all colors as Trump went to war on Chinese manufacturing, created by American Corporations making them Trillions of dollars, while selling Chinese made goods at Trump Tower, the site where Trump declared Mexicans rapists.

Trump's racists love the Trump.

Trump has proved a sick band of ten million Americans can take down the Republican Party. Now the Republicans must decide, are they Americans or racists in the mode of Donald J. Trump's wife beaters and religious prejudice.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Frankly I'm going to enjoy watching the Donald's attempts at becoming a moderate now they cannot deny him the nomination. Surely that must be the plan, there isn't enough angry white men or even deranged meth-heads living in their parents basements to give him the votes to defeat Clinton

Uh-huh and what happens if you libs are wrong? It surely wouldn't be the first time, in fact, most of the libs calculations are way off, since they're not good at math. Be careful what you wish for.

Cruz nod Kasich found out the hard way and the same could happen in a general. Anything is possible and could go either way.

-8 ( +0 / -8 )

I wonder if they have checked with Sarah to see if she is available?

1 ( +1 / -0 )

@Serrano,

Mr. Trump should consider taking Sen. Sanders as his running mate solely on the basis of his 'outsider' persona in this election cycle. He'd clean up on Mrs. Clinton (look how he handed Mrs. Clinton her ass this week in Indiana) after which, Mr. Trump can relegate Sen. Sanders to ribbon-cutting ceremonies. . . .

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

It is no surprise that a bunch of OLIGARCHS no longer have any use for American democracy. They only want things THEIR WAY, because ... they are rich! They live in gated communities, send their children to private schools.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

"there isn't enough angry white men or even deranged meth-heads living in their parents basements to give him the votes to defeat Clinton..."

No, but there might be enough angry people fed up with establishment politics to give Trump enough votes to defeat Hillary.

-4 ( +0 / -4 )

SerranoMAY. 07, 2016 - 12:12AM JST No, but there might be enough angry people fed up with establishment politics to give Trump enough votes to defeat Hillary.

Only abject fools make decisions in anger.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

I have no idea why some Republicans who bashed Trump are willing to reverse their position because he's the nominee. If you couldn't stomach a bigot before, how can you stomach him now? Party before country?

He has low odds of winning so they will most likely jump into his spotlight only to ride the ship to the bottom of the ocean. Then what? Do another reversal and back to politics as usual? Trump supporters will always have that albatross around their neck. I'm stunned so many in the GOP are reversing their positions.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

"I have no idea why some Republicans who bashed Trump are willing to reverse their position because he's the nominee."

Neither have I. I've asked Bass this many times. He called Trump supporters lunatics until it looked like he would win the nomination. He's been covering politics for 30 years and has seen it all in that time.

Did Trump do or say something which changed the whole perception of him? Was it the knob joke?

2 ( +3 / -1 )

I'm stunned so many in the GOP are reversing their positions.

That's because you haven't been paying attention:

The Republican party is broken and must be destroyed.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

It is not fair to Trump who campaigned with his own money.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

Seems to be a new Republican anti-Trump "pathetic alliance" brewing. -Last one only lasted a week and both parties of the pathetic alliance self-destructed (Cruz and Kasich).

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Rumor in media. Trump aides are searching a democratic member as Trump's VP candidate, another rumor. Dr, Ben Carson

FBI brought a self claimed Romanian hacker to USA. to in estimate what kind of secret Hillary leaked in Romania. FBI difector said it will take long time and Hillary said she will fully cooperate. It stated Romanian hacked. Her family d mail address in Romania.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

I have no idea why some Republicans who bashed Trump are willing to reverse their position because he's the nominee.

Maybe because the people see in him what some liberals see in Sanders.

If you couldn't stomach a bigot before, how can you stomach him now? Party before country?

Well, there's no proof that's he's a bigot and a lot of his rhetoric is true, it's just MOST politicians deep down inside agree with him, but would NEVER dare to admit it,. This is the reason why Trump is such a phenomenon. Finally, a person that wants to put America first before party BS politics. Good on him.

He has low odds of winning so they will most likely jump into his spotlight only to ride the ship to the bottom of the ocean. Then what? Do another reversal and back to politics as usual? Trump supporters will always have that albatross around their neck. I'm stunned so many in the GOP are reversing their positions.

Maybe they see something, they like and they are tired and frustrated with a broken Washington, most liberals could care less about the country or the economical plight it's in. Hillary is a weak candidate and the one thing Trump is good at is smashing his opponents and with Hillary, there will be No exception and unlike the others that were too timid and nice to say anything about her, Trump will expose all of those weaknesses, meanwhile, there's nothing of a bombshell that the left have on Trump and the main reason is because he's been such a brass and open book about everything, what else can you do to attack the guy? Everything else failed.

-7 ( +0 / -7 )

it's just MOST politicians deep down inside agree with him, but would NEVER dare to admit it

Yeah, he has definitely made himself a rallying point for people who wish they could express their racism out loud, but until now have not been able to for fear of persecution.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

"Only abject fools make decisions in anger"

An awful lot of Bernie Sanders supporters are angry. Are they all abject fools?

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Yeah, he has definitely made himself a rallying point for people who wish they could express their racism out loud, but until now have not been able to for fear of persecution.

Well, yes. It's is in part a repudiation of the Obama policies that people are rejecting and No, I'm not talking about his loyal followers, I'm talking about the American people in general. To say, No to Obama or his disastrous policies or Democratic progressive policies doesn't make a person racist. Why oh, why liberals constantly keep trying so hard to use the race card. It was good for a long time, but it got kinda old, NEXT?

Neither have I. I've asked Bass this many times. He called Trump supporters lunatics until it looked like he would win the nomination.

And I've said, repeatedly, people can have a change of opinion.

Did Trump do or say something which changed the whole perception of him? Was it the knob joke?

No, I realized he has a lot of valid points that when you think about it, makes perfect sense.

-6 ( +0 / -6 )

"Did Trump do or say something which changed the whole perception of him?" - comment question

"No, I realized he has a lot of valid points that when you think about it, makes perfect sense." - reply from comments

in 2004, when he wrote a letter to Mayor Mike Bloomberg.

“Whether they are veterans or not, they [the vendors] should not be allowed to sell on this most important and prestigious shopping street,” Trump declared.

He warned, “The image of New York City will suffer… I hope you can stop this very deplorable situation before it is too late.”

Peddlers were largely banned from Fifth Avenue

The state Legislature had originally accorded a special vendor’s license to disabled veterans in the aftermath of the Civil War.

source: Donald Trump Wanted Vets Kicked Off Fifth Avenue

When you think, Trump is disgusting.

After running from Vietnam, Trump thinks Vets create this very deplorable situation on Trump Towers' Fifth Avenue.

Veterans won't vote for the iron boot Trump used to rid HIS Fifth Avenue of their presence.

The People of New York provided for Vets returning home a way to survive selling scarfs and similar goods as licensed vendors.

The Vets were taking too much attention from Trump's Chinese made trinkets sold at Trump Towers.

Vote Trump. Kick a Vet into the road. Well done Donald J. Trump, super patriot, draft dodger"

0 ( +1 / -1 )

source: Donald Trump Wanted Vets Kicked Off Fifth Avenue

Then why are the majority for him?

After running from Vietnam, Trump thinks Vets create this very deplorable situation on Trump Towers' Fifth Avenue.

Many feel that way about Bill Clinton as well.

Veterans won't vote for the iron boot Trump used to rid HIS Fifth Avenue of their presence.

The People of New York provided for Vets returning home a way to survive selling scarfs and similar goods as licensed vendors.

The Vets were taking too much attention from Trump's Chinese made trinkets sold at Trump Towers.

Vote Trump. Kick a Vet into the road. Well done Donald J. Trump, super patriot, draft dodger.

And again, you are spinning the truth.

http://www.thepoliticalinsider.com/veterans-group-makes-a-huge-announcement-about-donald-trump-john-mccain-controversy/

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

2004 a letter to Mayor Mike Bloomberg.

“Whether they are veterans or not, they [the vendors] should not be allowed to sell on this most important and prestigious shopping street,” Trump declared.

He warned, “The image of New York City will suffer… I hope you can stop this very deplorable situation before it is too late.”

Peddlers were largely banned from Fifth Avenue

"And again, you are spinning the truth." - comments

Donald J. Trump's letter to Mayor Bloomberg attacking disabled Veterans is a matter of public record.

Trump uses Veterans, as he has used his Klan followers and gun nuts, as "stage props".

That's disgusting when Trump has contempt for US Soldiers returning home to sell goods on a New York public street under laws that have protected Veterans since the Civil War.

Trump loudly chases them from HIS fifth avenue. That isn't spin, it's fact and a matter of public record.

Also, in reading Trump's hateful letter towards American Citizen Veterans, Trump, in his role as "chicken little", shrieks of "before it is too late" shows Trump as disrespectful of all Veterans everywhere and selling fear of some before it is a too late disaster.

After 9/11, in 2004, Trump chased American Veterans from a public street. Disgusting.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

@wipeout

Besides lots of other people, there are also many Republicans who do not believe that Trump can beat Hillary in a general election. From a strategical standpoint, if the electoral votes could be split up in such a way denying Hillary the important 270 she needs to win, well, a state of confusion would then ensue as it did between Gore vs. Bush back in 2000. From there, if the process could then be handed over to the Republican controlled House of Represenatives to decide (just as the USSC had done back in 2000), then many Republicans probably believe they would stand a better chance of winning than in a general election. Another case in point, Bush - Clinton - Perot back in '92. Many Republicans believe that Bush probably would have won had it not been for Perot entering the race, or Ralph Nader taking those few crucial votes away from Al Gore in Florida which would have given Gore the White House.

This is unlikely but, at the same time, possible. There are many Republicans who can't stand Trump, however, they hate Hillary even more and they would still take him over her as the next president.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

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